Reversible-fulcrum mechanism



W. C. HEDGCOCK.

REVERSIBLE FULCRUM MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED AUG- 8, 1921.

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UNITED E- ATENTF C WILLIAM o. rrnnoooox, or CHICAGO," rumors nssrsnon 'ro arlrnnronn-sr nnnroummrns. or GHICAGOQILLINOIS; A ooRronA'rroN o'rxnnw JERSEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent. .Pat 'nted' Aug; 15,

" Application fi led Aug st a, 192 1Qseiia1 No. 490,4e9.

To all whom it} concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM c. HEDG- "oooK, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Chicago, in the countyo'f Cook'aiid State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Reversible- Fulcrum Mechanism; of which the following I n is a specification.

.This invention relates to a newand improved reversible fulcrum mechanism and to the cooperation of'such' mechanism with a brake beam. This application relates'to-a modificat on of the construction shown in my co-pending application,- Serial No. 159,790, filed April 8, 1921; f Y

It is an objectof the. present" invention to provide a one-piece reversible "fulcrum which is simple and durable in construction, efficient in operation""and which is adapted to meet all requirements for succ'ess- 'ful commercial use. It is another object to provide 1 a simple and 1 eflicient "locking connection'between sucha fulcrum and the compression member of a truss brake beam.

Other'and further objects will appear asrthe description proceeds.

Broadly, my invention comprises an in tegrally formed reversible fulcrum having portions embracing a brake beamcompression member, these portions being. so formed as to engage the brake beam in emloer to limit rotation of the fulcrum about-fits axis and to stop. such rotation at properpoints 'for o p-. eration of 'the'fulcru1n. A locking member is provided adapted to maintain the fulcrum located at one or the other of the limits of Figure3 is aview of Figure as seen from the right. c

Figure 4 is a view of Figure 2 as seen from above.

Figure 5 is a face view of the wedge locking member, and

Figure 6 is av view of Figure 5 as seen from abovea Referring now to: Figure 1 of the iif win a. 1

compression member 7;".andat these' points are secured the members 10) adapted to re' ceive'the brake shoes. ii The fulcrum 9 is pro- 'the truss type of brake beam comprises-the compression member 7 and the tension 'mem; ber 8,'between which my improved fulcrum 9 ismountfedi @Theends of the tension minv f'ber SIare secured adjacent theends of the rounds or embracesthe compression member 7. The upper and lower portions of fthe band 11 are provided with "the V-shaped lwalls'12 and 13 Thefwall's'13;as'shown'in "Figure 2, engage the *upper 'Yand 1ower"sfurf'ace's ofthe compressionmember 'Y andthus serve to limit the'movement of the fulcrum which thefulcrum maylbe rota'tedfi Vhen 7 the fulcrum is rot'atedin'the'clockwise di- I rection as" seen in Figure "2, the -w'allsfl2 will engage the upper and lowiensurfaces "ofthe compression member 7 'andw'ill limit this rotary movement. 5 'In'one position of th'e fulcrum the-brakebeam is what is known 1 as a right hand beam and in the' othefr' l imit 'in'g'position of the'fulcrum the brake Ebeam' becomes the left hand beam.

The locking' member 1.5 shown in Figures '5 and 6, is provided forthepurpose-criminta'l-in'ifng "the fulcrum locked in eitherlopen ative position. Thismember' 15 comprises a fiat body portion. provided with lateralflanges 16 of even height throughout theirlength, and provided upon its opposite face a with the wedge flanges 17. The member 15 is further provided upon the upper and lower faces of its edge with the hooks 18. .The smaller end of the wedge is'provided with the, locking tongues 19. Two tongues; 19 are provided so that the wedge -will still be serviceable after one tongue may have been broken off by bending in use.

As best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the

Jwedge member 15 is .inserted between the brake beam compression member 7 and the inner ,face of the fulcrum band 11. The

flanges 1 6 engage the inner surfaces of the f upper and lower flanges of the compression member 7 and thus I prevent lateral movement of the wedge member-'15 relative to. the

compression member.

As shown in Figure 4, the wedgeflanges 17 inner surface of the fulcrum. hooks 18, as shown inFigure 2, engages the .V-shaped wall 13 and overhangs that wall to prevent rotation of the fulcrum about its axis. As shown in Figure 4c, the tongue-19 is bent laterally to lock the wedge in place. If it is desired to change the brake beam from left to right hand, or vice versa, it is only necessaryto bend back the tongue.19, to knock out t-hewedge, member 15, rotate the fulcrum, and then to re-insert the Wedge member and again bend out the tongue.

The front end of the fulcrum is provided with two fingers 21 which are shaped and spaced from each other in such manner as to prevent the displacement of the tension meniberS and further to permit the fulcrum tonbe reversed without binding against the tension member.

By means of my construction the fulcrum may be locked in its different operative positions in a simple and eflicient. manner and the inte m may b v rsed wi h a nun rnum expenditure of time and labor.

' It is my intention to cover all my applications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the-following claims.

What I claim is I 1. An integrally formed reversible ful- 'crum having portions embracing a 'brake beam; compression member, said portions being adapted to limit reverse movements of the fulcrum with respect to the brake beam members, and positive locking means adapted to engage said embracing portions and the brake beam member to lock the fulcrum in operative position relative to the. brake beam member. v

An integrally formed reversible' ful crumhaving-portions embracing a brake beam compression member, said portions brake beam member. y a formed reversible ful-g being adapted-to limit reverse movements of the fulcrum with respect to the brake beam members, and a member-having hooks engaging the embracing portions and flanges engaging the brake beam member to lock portions in contact with the compression member for locking the fulcrumin operative position relative to the brake beam memb er.

v 4:. ,An integrally formed reversible fu lcrum having ll-shaped wall portions for embracing a brake beam compression member and limiting reversible movements of the fulcrum with respect thereto, and means cooperating with the compression member having a hookportion adapted to engage one or said V-shaped wall portions to lock the fulcrum. in operative position relative to the 5. An integrally crum: having V-shaped wall portions for embracing a brake beam compressionmember and limiting reversible movements of the fulcrumwith respect thereto, and a wedge member inserti'ble between the fulcrum and compression member, said wedge member having flanges engaging the compression .member and having a hook portion adapted to overhang one of said l-shaped wall portions to lock the fulcrum inoperative position relative to the. brake beammember. v

Signed at-Chicago, Illinois this 2nd day of August,- 1921.;

, WILLIAM HEDGCOOK. 

